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Limited information exists on the training dose-response relationship in elite collision sport athletes. In addition, no study has developed an injury prediction model for collision sport athletes. The purpose of this study was to develop an injury prediction model for noncontact, soft-tissue injuries in elite collision sport athletes. Ninety-one professional rugby league players participated in this 4-year prospective study. This study was conducted in 2 phases. Firstly, training load and injury data were prospectively recorded over 2 competitive seasons in elite collision sport athletes. Training load and injury data were modeled using a logistic regression model with a binomial distribution (injury vs. no injury) and logit link function. Secondly, training load and injury data were prospectively recorded over a further 2 competitive seasons in the same cohort of elite collision sport athletes. An injury prediction model based on planned and actual training loads was developed and implemented to determine if noncontact, soft-tissue injuries could be predicted and therefore prevented in elite collision sport athletes. Players were 50-80% likely to sustain a preseason injury within the training load range of 3,000-5,000 units. These training load 'thresholds' were considerably reduced (1,700-3,000 units) in the late-competition phase of the season. A total of 159 noncontact, soft-tissue injuries were sustained over the latter 2 seasons. The percentage of true positive predictions was 62.3% (n = 121), whereas the total number of false positive and false negative predictions was 20 and 18, respectively. Players that exceeded the training load threshold were 70 times more likely to test positive for noncontact, soft-tissue injury, whereas players that did not exceed the training load threshold were injured 1/10 as often. These findings provide information on the training dose--response relationship and a scientific method of monitoring and regulating training load in elite collision sport athletes. KEY WORDS injury prevention, rugby league, training monitoring, training load, applied sport science

A research that used Foucauldian theorizing to examine the articulations between masculinities and men's rugby union experiences of pain, fear and pleasure. It helps to justify concerns about the social significance of popular heavy-contact sports and gendering processes.

This study investigated the influence of playing position on the site, nature, and cause of injuries in rugby league. The incidence, site, nature, and cause of playing injuries was prospectively studied in 156 rugby league players over 2 seasons. An injury was defined as any pain or disability suffered by a player during a match that resulted in the player missing a subsequent match. The hooker (101 per 1,000 playing hours) and prop (92 per 1,000 playing hours) positions had the highest incidence of injury. Injuries sustained by the fullback (32 per 1,000 playing hours) and halfback (44 per 1,000 playing hours) positions were less common. Compared with other individual playing positions, props had a significantly higher incidence of overexertion injuries (22 per 1,000 playing hours), thigh and calf injuries (47 per 1,000 playing hours), and hematomas (19 per 1,000 playing hours), whereas the five-eighth position (31 per 1,000 playing hours) and the hookers and halves positional group (17 per 1,000 playing hours) had a significantly higher incidence of falling and stumbling injuries. These results demonstrate that the hooker and prop positions have higher injury rates than other rugby league positions. Furthermore, the site, type, and cause of injuries are different among individual playing positions and playing groups. These findings suggest that individual position training for injury prevention is warranted in rugby league. Key Words. collision sport, specificity, injury prevention

This article discusses the relationship between injury prevalence and training activity among rugby players.

To learn more about the nature of spinal cord injury in rugby players, a review was carried out of the clinical and X-ray records of nine patients who had sustained temporary paralysis injuries while playing. No evidence was seen on X-rays of a spinal cord injury, such as fracture or dislocation. The patients' injuries were to the cervical (neck) segments of the spinal cord. Based on the results, four categories were identified: five players had developmental stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal, in which the cord lies); two players had intervertebral disk disease (disease of the connective tissue disks that separate the vertebrae); one player had congenital abnormalities; and two players had no abnormalities. (One player had both developmental stenosis and intervertebral disk disease.) A discussion is presented of these conditions and the effects of trauma on them. It is likely that spinal cord concussion in rugby players is associated with narrowing of the spinal canal or congenital anatomic abnormalities. Players with spinal stenosis or vertebral fusion who sustain such an injury should consider choosing a less risky sport. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)